Avery Brundage (1887–1975) was the fifth president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the only American to hold that office. In 1912, he competed in the Summer Olympics, contesting the pentathlon and decathlon; both events were won by Jim Thorpe. Brundage became a sports administrator, rising rapidly through the ranks in U.S. sports groups. He fought zealously against a boycott of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Nazi Germany. Although Brundage was successful, the U.S. participation was controversial, and has remained so. Brundage was elected to the IOC that year, and quickly became a major figure in the Olympic movement. Elected IOC president in 1952, Brundage fought strongly for amateurism. On September 6, 1972, at the Munich Olympics, his final as president, when addressing the memorial service following the murder of eleven Israelis by terrorists, Brundage refused to cancel the remainder of the Olympics, declaring that "the Games must go on".

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avery_Brundage

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1901:

William McKinley, President of the United States, was fatally wounded by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and died eight days later. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_William_McKinley

1952:

A prototype aircraft crashed at the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire, England, killing the pilot and test observer on board, and 29 spectators. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1952_Farnborough_Airshow_crash

1997:

An estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide watched the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, on television. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral_of_Diana,_Princess_of_Wales

1999:

The Parliament of Singapore relocated from the Old Parliament House to its current meeting place (pictured). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Singapore

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

I'll be blowed: (Britain, informal, dated) Used to express amazement and surprise. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/I%27ll_be_blowed

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

I have wedded the cause of human improvement, staked on it my fortune, my reputation and my life.   --Frances Wright https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Frances_Wright